Durham Museum and Heritage Centre

From £1.00
St Mary-le-Bow
North Bailey
Durham City
County Durham
DH1 3ET

Durham Museum & Heritage Centre

 

Durham Museum & Heritage Centre is located right in the centre of Durham City opposite to the east end of Durham Cathedral.

Founded in 1976, Durham Museum occupies the redundant parish church of St. Mary-le-Bow, situated next to the World Heritage Site of Durham Cathedral and Castle.

The museum presents the history of the Durham from medieval times to the present day. It contains a variety of objects, models, pictures and audio-visual materials. These displays, together with the accompanying text, provide the visitor with an overview of life, labour and leisure in this ancient fortified city, major centre of pilgrimage and capital of the Prince Bishops of Durham.

On one side of the museum is a garden which is open to visitors when the weather permits. In the garden are two superb works by renowned local sculptor, Fenwick Lawson.

Durham Museum sculpture garden contains two superb works by renowned Durham sculptor, Fenwick Lawson.

Durham museum also features a centre for making brass rubbings and a small shop.

Find out more..

Guide Prices

Ticket Type Ticket Tariff
Adult £2.50 per ticket type
Child £1.00 per ticket type
Concession £2.00 per ticket type

Note: Prices are a guide only and may change on a daily basis.

Covid Guidelines

Following Government guidelines on Museum Re-opening, as well as advice from the Association of Independent Museums, and regional Museum Development team support.

The guidelines state that a working group (Durham Museum Management Committee) should undertake a risk assessment ahead of re-opening, which is publicly available here:

During your visit to Durham Museum, we ask:

  • Please wear a mask at all times
  • Please keep to one group per marked area
  • Please maintain social distancing
  • Please do not touch the museum displays
  • Please follow the arrows & one-way system
  • Our volunteers will be on hand throughout your visit; please ask if you require assistance.
Risk Mitigation
Handling money Contactless payment & cash payments into honesty jar.
Arrival Perspex screen on desk.
Face mask for visitors.
Well ventilated waiting area for visitors.
Social distancing Maintain 1 metre plus between visitors.
One-way route around displays.
Displays marked into bays.
Each visitor (or group) in one bay at a time. Entrance through Museum Garden & exit through porch to street.
Compliance Provide written instructions to visitors on entry, explaining how to proceed around museum.
Brass rubbing Closed.
Shop Closed.
Gallery Closed.
Refreshments Not available.
Toilets Not available to public.

Covid-19 Risk Assessment for Visitors

Re-opening the museum from Saturday 22 May 2021.

Opening Times

From Saturday 22nd May until October 2021, the museum will be open at weekends and on bank holidays from 11am to 4.30pm.

Location

Durham Museum is located right in the centre of the City of Durham on the corner of North Bailey and Bow Lane, just opposite the east end of Durham Cathedral. For a map of the City of Durham showing the position of the museum, please see www.google.co.uk.

Parking

Street parking in Durham can be hard to find. There are large multi-storey car parks under the Prince Bishops Shopping Centre, the Walkergate Complex and the Riverwalk Shopping Centre.

Disabled Visitors

The museum is accessible by car. Disabled passengers can be dropped off at the door, and disabled drivers may be able to park on Palace Green between Durham Cathedral and Castle. There is a charge for parking on Palace Green. If you are planning to approach across Kingsgate Bridge, please note that there is a flight of steps at the west end of the bridge.

Once at the museum, the ground floor is generally accessible and it can be explored by wheelchair. However, the gallery where videos and a few exhibits are on show is not accessible to wheelchair users. Videos can be viewed downstairs on request, though.